Adrian Vandreck
Adrian Vandreck (born 9 April, 1954) is a long-serving Brunanter politician. He is a member and leader of the Christian Democratic Union and serves as the External Affairs Minister. A perennial candidate for leadership in Brunant, he has been at the forefront of Brunanter politics since the 1990s. He served as Prime Minister from September 2018 to May 2019, from February in a caretaker position. Biography Early life Vandreck was born in Donderstad to Louisa Herman and Josef Vandreck. He is descended from Founding father Hieronymus van der Ecke. His family was better off than most but by no means wealthy. Vandreck studied history and German at Grijzestad University from 1973 to 1977. Afterward he worked as a teaching assistant at the university, and at Verona Coffee. He was an intern and then junior employee at Lion Insurance in Koningstad for some time before going on to study a masters at Grijzestad in 1985. He joined the CDU in 1985, and is the party chairman. Vandreck ran for president in 1990, 1996, 2002 Presidential Elections and 2008, but lost out to the SDP's candidates in all. CDU leadership Vandreck was chosen as deputy leader of the CDU leading up to the 2005 election, where a successful campaign saw his party finished with the plurality of votes and seats, and end eight years of the Ines Michels grand coalition government. He was named Minister of Justice, and over the next four years helped push an agenda of limiting judicial interference in congress (and vice versa). A number of people in the media and political experts began to see vandreck as a better orator and public figure compared to the Prime Minister, and in particular received much praise in the Grijzestad newspaper De Waarheid, which would be a massive supporter of vandreck over the following years. When in May 2012 the Lovia-based scientific research and development company Costello Enterprises announced its plans for bioengineering, Vandreck expressed strong concerns.'Lovian conservatives protest bioengineering', Walter Arnson, The Daily Post, May 18, 2012. In the lead up to the 2013 General Elections, he was criticized by Social Democratic Party officials, who pointed out that he voted against several progressive economic bills that were supported by most other parties. Nevertheless, his approval rating and CDU favorability remained quite high, especially after the Henneman Scandal, which tarnished President Gert Henneman's public image. Vandreck was criticized by several younger and newer members of the CDU for a perceived <> following the 2013 vote. That said he refused to back down as leader, and many prominent members publicly backed him to remain. Leading up to the 2017 general election, Vandreck said the CDU would perhaps try and work with the Free Liberal Party or other moderates in order to form a government. Interestingly, De Waarheid, long a backer of his views called him a <> and compared his leadership now with a sea captain leading his vessel on a sinking course. A scathing editorial by senior writer Bert Winters (10 March 2017) said that he was no longer capable of restoring the parties hopes and should resign. In turn he accused De Waarheid of succumbing to petty populism and the alt-right wave. Prime Minister During the scandal outbreak befalling the government and Prime Minister in mid-2018, Vandreck was quite critical of the government. On 6 September he proposed a no-confidence vote in congress before Van Buskirk resigned, likely paving the way for him to lead an interim government. He met with Queen Helene on 7 September, being formally named prime minister. He formed an interim coalition with the Free Liberal Party, and named a cabinet on 9 September, the Vandreck government. On 25 November, it was annoucned that elections would be held on 4 February 2019, some five months after taking power. He gave a brief interview on January 2 and said he would work through to, and if elected beyond the 2019 general election to maintain public trust in the government. After the failed UK Parliamentary Brexit vote on 15 January, he stated that "he am dismayed at the result of Tuesday's Brexit vote in the UK Parliament. As other EU leaders will likely concur, the deal agreed with Mrs. May in November is the deal; there will be no alteration." With the unfolding crisis in Venezuela in early 2019, Vandreck gave a speech on 4 February in which he fell short of recognizing Juan Guaidó as President of Venezuela, a move done by the UK, France, Spain and others. He stated that his government recognizes the National Assembly as the legitimate elected body, but may as yet recognize Guaidó is Nicolas Maduro does not produce changes to the socio-political environment in Venezuela, including ending use of force against protesters and calling elections. Personal life Vandreck married his wife, Ingrid Márquez, in 1988. They have three children. Due to his years in and service to politics, Vandreck was named Cavalier and awarded the Order of St. Andrew on a ceremony ahead of Brunant's Independence Day in 2018. References Category:Politicians Category:1954 births Category:Ministers Category:Christian Democratic Union Category:Congresspeople Category:Living people Category:Grijzestad University alumni